Kansas City Royals: Time to bring up the kids

The Kansas City Royals are not going anywhere this season. It is time to bring up the kids and see what they can do.

As of Saturday morning, the Kansas City Royals are 11-22. Even though the calendar has barely turned to May, they are already 9.5 games out of first place in the AL Central. Quite obviously, this is going to be a long year for the Royals, at least in terms of wins and losses.

Yet, this year can be a positive. It is the type of season where Kansas City can identify long term pieces for their rebuild; players that can be a part of the next winning team. Instead, the Royals have Chris Owings in the lineup virtually every day, give innings to Homer Bailey and Wily Peralta, and will likely put Lucas Duda back in the lineup when he is ready to come off of the Injured List.

In each of those cases, there are better options at the minor league level. Even if they struggle, it is still a matter of gaining valuable experience in the majors. And, let’s face it – the Royals are not sniffing a playoff berth even if they keep these veterans on the roster.

It is time for the Kansas City Royals to let the kids play. Let’s look at those options for replacement.

Goodbye Chris Owings – hello Nicky Lopez

The Kansas City Royals have done everything possible to put Owings in the lineup, starting him at five different positions while giving him all of three days off this season. Their reward – a .147/.209/.255 batting line with two home runs in 110 plate appearances heading into Friday.

Meanwhile, the Royals have a replacement already in Omaha. Nicky Lopez has hit ever since being drafted by Kansas City in the fifth round of the 2016 Draft. Thus far at AAA, the 23 year old infielder has produced an excellent .341/.437/.477 batting line, hitting two homers and four doubles while stealing five bases. In 103 plate appearances heading into Friday, he has drawn 14 walks and struck out only three times.

Lopez does not have the defensive versatility that Owings does, as he has only played at second and short in his minor league career. However, with a player like Whit Merrifield on the roster, that lack of flexibility does not matter nearly as much.

Owings may have the ability to play different positions, but none of that matters if he cannot produce. At this point, Owings has a -0.5 WAR, one of the worst marks in the game. There is no purpose to his remaining on the roster, aside from the Royals bizarre love of mediocre middle infielders.

Nicky Lopez can be a part of the Kansas City Royals future. It is time to give him a look.

Goodbye Lucas Duda – hello Bubba Starling

The decision to add Lucas Duda, and, to a degree, keep Terrance Gore on the roster, led to the disastrous move to get rid of Brian Goodwin. While Duda has provided “veteran leadership” and nothing more, Goodwin has been a revelation for the Angels, one of the more important players in their lineup.

Before landing on the Injured List, Duda was essentially useless in the lineup. He had produced a .174/.304/.326 batting line over his 56 plate appearances, hitting two homers and a double. While the Royals may have hoped that they could trade him at the deadline once again, his lack of production has ended those hopes.

Meanwhile, Bubba Starling, the former Royals top prospect, has begun to fulfill his promise. Finally healthy, he has produced a surprising .333/.382/.429 batting line, hitting two homers and stealing five bases. Finally, after years of being plagued by injury and ineffectiveness, Starling has become the player the Royals hoped for.

It is understandable that the Royals would want to make certain that he is in the best position to succeed. After all, they have already waited this long for Starling to emerge as a viable option, so it makes sense to give him a bit more time. However, if he is still swinging a hot bat at the end of the month, it may be time for Starling to make his major league debut.

Bubba Starling is finally becoming what the Kansas City Royals hoped for. In doing so, he could make Lucas Duda expendable.

Goodbye Homer Bailey – hello Foster Griffin

For a moment, it seemed as though the Kansas City Royals had somehow worked their old magic on Homer Bailey, turning back the clock to 2013. In a two start stretch against the Indians and Yankees, Bailey allowed just one run in 13 innings, allowing five hits and three walks while striking out 12 batters. He appeared to be the pitcher he was when the Reds signed him to that disastrous extension.

However, reality has set in once again. Bailey has looked like the pitcher everyone expected in his following two starts, and now has a 5.70 ERA on the season. Although his 1.267 WHiP and strikeout an inning are solid, it is unlikely that those metrics remain at their current levels.

Meanwhile, another former first round pick is beginning to knock on the door to the majors. Foster Griffin, the 28th overall selection in the 2014 Draft, has slowly climbed through the ranks, reaching AAA for the first time this season. He has shown some promise, posting a 4.10 ERA and a 1.291 WHiP, striking out 27 batters with just 11 walks in 26.2 innings.

Just 23 years old, Griffin still has a bright future ahead of him. While he may not be a top of the rotation arm, he has a solid four pitch arsenal with a respectable changeup. Griffin has also pitched relatively well in AAA so far, with respectable command, putting him ahead of prospects like Josh Staumont to get his chance at the majors.

Homer Bailey is not going to be a part of the Kansas City Royals future. However, Foster Griffin may well be, and deserves a chance to prove that at the major league level.